Process and system for making a blended tobacco product

Abstract

A process and apparatus for producing a smoking tobacco having a low nitrate content includes at least one stage through which a tobacco having a relatively high nitrate content, for example burley tobacco, continuously passes for continuous nitrate removal by dissolution. In the nitrate removal stage, a solvent is added to, for example, the burley tobacco to form a slurry. The free solvent, including dissolved nitrates, is decanted from the slurry leaving saturated burley tobacco. The saturated burley tobacco is subjected to an expression pressure to remove a further amount of solvent and dissolved nitrates therefrom. After the burley tobacco leaves the nitrate removing stage, it is mixed with another tobacco, such as, for example, a flue-cured tobacco. The tobacco mixture is then expanded and dried to a moisture content suitable for use in a smoking article. In order to provide a continuous uniform quantity of the tobacco mixture to the expanding-drying step, the mixture is bulked upon leaving the mixing step.